Warning cards for allergies and life threatening conditions.
Fortunately none of us have an allergy or some serious sickness, but we have seen enough in our life to realize the seriousness of this. An anaphylactic shock is not to be taken lightly under any circumstance. This life-threatening histamine reaction can be set off by as little as a trace of peanut oil in a salad, or people having peanuts with their drinks during a flight. Now, while it's never easy to avoid allergenic substances on your own home turf, imagine the problems while traveling, perhaps in places where you don't speak the language. Speak Khmer, anyone? Or Tagalog? (Now, there's a way to get around this. If there wasn't, we wouldn't be writing this, would we?) A company called Select Wisely produces strongly worded warning cards covering at least 52 different allergies and conditions. Off the shelf the cards can be ordered in English, French, Spanish, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Thai, Portuguese (both the Brazilian and the European variant) and Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese). Should you require, they can make your card in at least another 32 languages. Furthermore, Select Wisely promises to make a special card for you if you have an allergy that's not already on their list, or need a language that they don't already have. And if that wasn't enough, it's not even as expensive as you might suspect. The standard card are 'round USD 10:- a piece. Not bad if it can save your life... [Via]

23 March 2009

Make your own rubber grips for your tools.
We once tried something like this to silence a squeaking door-hook on a patio door. The hook squealed like a mouse whenever the wind moved the door. However, the silicon rubber we found was not up to the job. It was worn out after a couple of hours. Maybe this stuff would have been stronger? It is after all promised to make good rubber grips on almost anything you care to have a rubber grip on. At least if we are to believe the Plastidip website. The material is an artificial rubber that can be applied with a brush, as a spray, or by dipping the desired handle in the can. It's available in six colors, including a clear that can be used to mix one's own colors. One 14.5 oz. dipping can is USD 7:58 on Amazon. [Via]

19 March 2009

Ring light with two slaves for digital cameras.
We don't usually like taking pictures with a flash or some other artificial light. Pictures will almost always turn out better in natural light, but there are of course occasions when a ring flash (or ring light) like this would be very useful in deed. If nothing else, it has a strong appeal to our inner geek even though it's USD 360:- on Amazon. From DigiSlave. [Via]